The present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus and method for cleaning photographic films. More specifically, the present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus and method for cleaning photographic film having a magnetic surface such as APS film.
Photographic films such as APS film utilize a layer of essentially transparent magnetic particles on the non-emulsion side of the film support to record customer photographic information. This information can pertain to a customer""s desired output print size for each frame, along with specific camera settings and lighting conditions at the time of exposure.
After the film has been exposed by the customer and the frame information recorded to the magnetic layer by the camera, the film is delivered to the photofinisher for processing. During photoprocessing, the photofinisher sends the film through photoprocessing chemistry that develops the image on the film. In some cases this photoprocessing chemistry can leave a residue on the magnetic side of the film. During a subsequent scan and print operation, this residue comes into contact with the APS magnetic read/write head of an imaging assembly such as a scanner or printer. The residue on the film continuously transfers to the magnetic head and if this residue transfers to a gap area between the magnetic head and the film, a spacing loss can occur. More specifically, the thicker the residue accumulation that occurs near the gap of the magnetic head, the lower the resulting read back voltage of the magnetic head. Eventually, the residue build up can become thick enough (2 microns or higher) that the read back voltage will drop below an acceptable level. At this point, the scanner/printer will not be able to accurately read the magnetic information that the customer""s camera has written on the film.
One way that this issue has been addressed is by increasing the pressure on the magnetic head to abrade the residue from the gap area of the magnetic head. However, this technique results in a very expensive sub-assembly and is not effective against highly contaminated film. Further, the increase of the pressure of the magnetic head on the film tends to adversely effect the operation and longevity of the magnetic head.
The present invention provides for a photographic film cleaning apparatus and method which utilizes self-loading cleaning surfaces mounted directly over the photographic film, that when assembled, applies a given force on the film. The cleaning surfaces of the apparatus, in conjunction with the required pre-load force applied by the apparatus, supplies sufficient pressure to the photographic film so that the photographic film is cleaned prior to entering a magnetic head area.
The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning a photographic film located at a film conveying path or film track of an imaging assembly. The apparatus comprises a plate member, and a cleaning member mounted on the plate member in a cantilevered manner. The cleaning member includes a base and at least one arm that extends from the base. The arm comprises a cleaning surface which abuts against a surface of the film and provides a force on the film at the film conveying path to clean the film prior to the film arriving at a magnetic head area of the imaging assembly.
The present invention further relates to a cleaning assembly for photographic film which comprises a plate member, and at least one leaf spring mounted on the plate member in a cantilevered manner and extending from the plate member. The leaf spring has a cleaning surface thereon and is bent at an angle which causes a deflection of the spring when the cleaning surface abuts against a film surface to be cleaned. The cleaning surface removes residue from a magnetic surface of the film as the film is conveyed past the cleaning surface.
The present invention further relates to a magnetic head and cleaning unit for an imaging assembly which comprises at least one magnetic head provided in the imaging assembly relative to a film conveying path to contact a surface of the film as the film travels along the conveying path; and at least one leaf spring provided in the imaging assembly relative to the film conveying path at a position upstream of the at least one magnetic head with respect to a direction of travel of the film along the conveying path. The leaf spring has a cleaning surface thereon and is bent at an angle which causes a deflection of the spring when the cleaning surface abuts against the film to remove residue from a magnetic surface of the film prior to the film reaching the magnetic head.
The present invention further relates to a method of cleaning photographic film in a film conveying path of an imaging assembly. The method comprises the steps of mounting a leaf spring having a cleaning surface thereon on a plate of a magnetic head unit of an imaging assembly, with the leaf spring being mounted upstream of a magnetic head of the unit with respect to a direction of travel of film along the conveying path; and bending the leaf spring at an angle which causes a deflection of the leaf spring when the cleaning surface abuts against film in the film conveying path, to remove residue from a magnetic surface of the film prior to the film reaching the magnetic head.